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IBM System x

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IBM System x

The IBM System x computers formed a sub-brand of International Business Machines (IBM's) System brand servers, focusing on x86 processor equipped servers. (the other System sub-brands having the names IBM Power Systems, IBM System z and IBM System Storage). In addition, IBM System x was the main component of the IBM System Cluster 1350 solution.

Contents

The division has been sold to Lenovo, effective October 1st 2014.

History

Starting out as IBM PC Server, rebranded Netfinity, then eServer xSeries and now System x, these servers are distinguished by being based on off-the-shelf x86 CPUs; IBM positions them as their "low end" or "entry" offering. Previously IBM servers based on AMD Opteron CPUs did not share the xSeries brand; instead they fell directly under the eServer umbrella. However, current AMD Opteron-based servers fall under the System x brand.

PC Server range

  • IBM PC Server 300
  • IBM PC Server 310 (PCI/ISA)
  • IBM PC Server 315 (PCI/ISA)
  • IBM PC Server 320 (PCI/EISA)
  • IBM PC Server 325 (PCI/EISA)
  • IBM PC Server 330 (PCI/EISA)
  • IBM PC Server 500 (MCA)
  • IBM PC Server 520 (PCI/EISA or PCI/MCA)
  • IBM PC Server 704 (PCI/EISA)
  • IBM PC Server 720 (PCI/MCA)

    • Numbering scheme

  • 300 range for high-volume, entry level servers
  • 500 range for midrange
  • 700 range for high-end.

    • IBM Netfinity

    Not to be confused with a different IBM product with a similar name, NetFinity (notice the capital F).

    Netfinity range

  • IBM Netfinity 1000
  • IBM Netfinity 3000, 3500
  • IBM Netfinity 4000R, 4500R
  • IBM Netfinity 5000, 5100, 5500, 5500-M10, 5500-M20, 5600
  • IBM Netfinity 6000R
  • IBM Netfinity 7000, 7000-M10, 7100, 7600
  • IBM Netfinity 8500R

    • Numbering scheme

    The numbering scheme started off similar to that of the IBM PC Servers, but additional ranges were added, like the entry-level 1000 model later on. Models ending with an R, are rack-mount.

    KVM Cabling scheme

    Some Netfinity servers used IBM's C2T cabling scheme for Keyboard/Video/Mouse.

    xSeries range

  • IBM eServer xSeries 100, 130, 135, 150
  • IBM eServer xSeries 200, 205, 206, 206m, 220, 225, 226, 230, 232, 235, 236, 240, 250, 255, 260
  • IBM eServer xSeries 300, 305, 306, 306m, 330, 335, 336, 340, 342, 345, 346, 350, 360, 365, 366, 370, 380, 382
  • IBM eServer xSeries 440, 445, 450, 455, 460

    • Numbering scheme

  • 100 series are entry-level tower servers
  • 200 series are tower servers
  • 300 series are rack-mount servers
  • 400 series are rack-mount scalable servers

    • KVM Cabling scheme

    Many xSeries servers used IBM's C2T cabling scheme for Keyboard/Video/Mouse.

    eServer range

  • IBM eServer 325, 326, 326m
  • IBM eServer BladeCenter, BladeCenter T, BladeCenter H, BladeCenter HT

    • Numbering scheme

    For marketing reasons the AMD processor based e325, e326 and e326m and the BladeCenter which supports non-Intel processor products were not branded xSeries, but were instead placed directly under the eServer brand. The xSeries brand was limited to only Intel-based server products.

    From a numbering perspective the AMD servers did fit into the xSeries range, under the similar x335 and x336 Intel processor products. These numbers were not re-used in the xSeries range to prevent confusion.

    IBM System x range

  • IBM System x3105, x3100, x3100 M3, x3100 M4, x3100 M5
  • IBM System x3200, x3200 M2, x3200 M3, x3250, x3250 M2, x3250 M3, x3250 M4, x3250 M5, x3250 M6
  • IBM System x3300 M3, x3300 M4
  • IBM System x3350
  • IBM System x3400, x3400 M2, x3400 M3, x3450, x3455
  • IBM System x3500, x3500 M2, x3500 M3, x3500 M4
  • IBM System x3530 M3, x3530 M4
  • IBM System x3550, x3550 M2, x3550 M3, x3550 M4
  • IBM System x3620 M3
  • IBM System x3630 M3, x3630 M4
  • IBM System x3650, x3650T, x3655, x3650 M2, x3650 M3, x3650 M4, x3650 M4 HD, x3650 M4 BD,
  • IBM System x3690 X5
  • IBM System x3750 M4
  • IBM System x3755, x3755 M3
  • IBM System x3800, x3850, x3850 M2, x3850 X5, x3850 X6
  • IBM System x3950, x3950 M2, x3950 X5, x3950 X6

    • Lenovo System x range

  • Lenovo System x3100 M5
  • Lenovo System x3250 M5, x3250 M6
  • Lenovo System x3500 M5
  • Lenovo System x3550 M4, x3550 M5
  • Lenovo System x3650 M4, x3650 M5
  • Lenovo System x3850 X6
  • Lenovo System x3950 X6
  • Lenovo NextScale
  • Lenovo FlexSystem

    • Lenovo also had and still has its own ThinkServer family of Intel servers. This family is technically less advanced than System x.

    Numbering scheme

    2nd digit increments to show capability

    3rd digit is a 0 for tower models, and 5 for rack-mount

    4th digit is a 0 for Intel processors, and 5 for AMD Opteron.

    Models with a T at the end are meant for Telco purposes.

    iDataPlex

    System x iDataPlex was used by many TOP500 supercomputers, including SuperMUC and Stampede. Other smaller installations included SciNet Consortium's General Purpose Cluster

    References

    IBM System x Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA